The Trump administration’s August 2019 decision to end automatic citizenship for children of military and civil service members serving overseas is a poor way to repay these people and their families for the sacrifices they make to serve the U.S. overseas. Reversing this policy to ensure that all children of U.S. military and civil service members overseas automatically receive U.S. citizenship is a small, but important, way to show gratitude for their service.
Only 20-25 children a year are affected by the Trump administration’s August 2019 policy change, so this issue isn’t particularly important based on the number of people affected. More importantly, the administration’s policy update didn’t end citizenship for any children of military or civil service members serving overseas — it merely required that some children apply for U.S. citizenship because they’re ineligible for birthright citizenship.